How can Rams salvage Jimmy G after that tirade from Davante Adams in 2023?

The LA Rams signed several veteran quarterbacks in recent years, primarily mid-season to come onto the Rams roster and bail out the team after starting quarterback Matthew Stafford fell to injury. There was the 2022 arrival of veteran Baker Mayfield who literally walked off a plane in Los Angeles and suited up hours later to lead the team to an amazing come-from-behind victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

In 2023, the Rams faced a scare when Matthew Stafford's throwing hand thumb was injured. The team signed tarnished veteran QB Carson Wentz who served as the backup until Week 18. He then led the junior varsity squad of the Rams to a victory over the 49er varsity squad. It was a win that will endear Wentz to Rams fans forever.

But not all NFL teams are created equally. Some teams have put all their eggs in the basket of a veteran quarterback, only to be incredibly disappointed with the results. We know that the Denver Broncos were not a fit for veteran QB Russell Wilson, and cut him with financial penalties to embark on a rebuild. So too did the Las Vegas Raiders release veteran QB Derek Carr and signed former San Francisco 49ers veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo. Then, they released Jimmy Garoppolo. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

But not all players fit all offensive schemes. And not all quarterbacks mesh perfectly with wide receivers. We know that the Rams signed WR Odell Beckham Jr. after OBJ had a falling out with the Cleveland Browns and then starting QB Baker Mayfield.

Yes, the same Baker Mayfield who would sign to the Rams roster one year later.

Offenses rely on trust. The quarterback must trust that a receiver will be where he is supposed to be when the quarterback arrives at that spot. The receiver must trust that if and when he gets free, the quarterback will get the football to him.

Unfortunately, that is not how it went down for Jimmy Garoppolo with his short stint in the Raiders offense:

Raiders revolt on Jimmy G, creating chaos on offense

There were plenty of problems with the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that did itself no favors by hiring former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as the team's head coach in January 2022. McDaniels was a bit unorthodox as a head coach, But just over 1.5 years later, the team announced the firing of both McDaniels as head coach and GM David Zigler.

Curiously, the St. Louis Rams hired McDaniels to be the offensive coordinator in 2011. The results were, disappolnting:

His 2011 Rams offense was the worst offense in the NFL.

• #32 in EPA/play (-0.17)
• #31 in yards/play (4.5)
• #31 in success rate (36%)

McDaniels arrived to a rather potent Las Vegas Raiders offense and immediately went to work putting his thumbprint on it. The trouble was, he demolished an offense that boasted QB Derek Carr, WRs Hunter Renfrow and Zay Flowers, and TE Darren Waller. And the team had an excellent running back in veteran Josh Jacobs.

In 2021, the Raiders boasted the 11th ranked offense. By 2022, the team's offense slipped to 12th in the NFL. By 2023, after the team had parted ways with QB Derek Carr, the offense plummeted to 27th place. Much of the frustration and animosity of the struggle fell upon new starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

And veteran WR Davante Adams, who joined the Raiders to compete with QB Derek Carr, was having none of it:

Veterans who find success in the NFL wield a lot of power. When a dispute surfaced on the Cleveland Browns roster between QB Baker Mayfield and WR Odell Beckham Jr., the team backed Mayfield and released OBJ in 2021. But when the same circumstances arose on the Las Vegas Raiders roster between QB Jimmy Garoppolo and WR Davante Adams, the team benched Jimmy G. And yes, Davante Adams was so happy with the decision that he publicly admitted signing off on the decision.

In the end, it was a family affair, as even Adam's wife was frustrated and upset with Garoppolo:

And so, now you know why the Raiders release Garoppolo after one season. Of course, that is simply the background information that informed fans should no in order to set realistic expectations.

Why the Rams may struggle behind Jimmy Garoppolo

The LA Rams may or may not have been interested in extending veteran QB Carson Wentz for 2024. But the team did sign veteran QB Jimmy Garoppolo to anchor the backup position for the team. At the time, there was a bit of confusion about the roster addition. After all, it was no secret that Jimmy Garoppolo would have to serve a two-game suspension to open the 2024 NFL season.

That suspension not only translates into not suiting up for two games. It also requires Jimmy Garoppolo have no contact with the team for two weeks to open the 2024 NFL season. That would not be a major hurdle for a player who had spent several seasons on the Rams roster. But the truth is that Jimmy Garoppolo was benched by Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season, and has played only three offensive snaps since October 2023.

With so little work, Garoppolo is not as NFL game-day ready as he might be had he started for the Raiders through Week 18. And his serving a two-game suspension will only amplify his rust-factor in 2024.

When the Rams faced Garoppolo, they were not simply facing a savvy quarterback. Rather, the Rams faced a run-centric offense that placed their hopes on hitting a preset number of rushes that were designed not only to gain yards and put points on the scoreboard, but were designed to frustrate the Rams offense and HC Sean McVay. That, it turn, compelled the team to take chances and let 'er fly.

All of which played right into the San Francisco 49ers' game plan.

Jimmy Garoppolo never lost a game to the LA Rams because he was never asked to win one. He was simply tasked with being an above-average game manager. And the proof of that role is on full display as the 49ers offense continues to flourish with Mr. Irrelevant, QB Brock Purdy.

Why the Rams will flourish with Jimmy Garoppolo

Okay. Enough of the Jimmy G bashing. For starters, whether relevant or not, wins and losses attributed to Garoppolo lean heavily into the win column. His career win-loss record is 43 wins and 20 losses in regular season games, and four wins and two losses in post-season games. Perfect? No, not even close. But what NFL teams seek in a backup quarterback is to have a guy on the roster who can win games and stay cool even in a pressure cooker.

Jimmy Garoppolo has ice running through his veins.

The thing about NFL quarterbacks, like any player who has succeeded in this league, is that they have things that they can do very well, and things that they cannot do very well. One of the things that veteran QB is known to struggle at is throwing the football deep to either side of the football field.

NFLSavant.com maintains a database on all NFL quarterbacks, and the tale of the tape on quarterback James Garoppolo is worth a visit. His passing is far better over the middle of the football field, and he is far more effective on shot passes. But the Raiders sent Adams deep down the sideline. So who is to blame: The quarterback, the receiver, or the HC who designed and dialed up that play?

The LA Rams know better than to throw bad plays onto the football field that won't work simply from the fact that the quarterback cannot make those throws.

But if you are still stuck on the fence, here are three more reasons why the Rams will do very well with Jimmy Garoppolo as their backup quarterback in 2024. Let's dive right in:

Reason III: The Rams know what they are getting in Jimmy Garoppolo

The LA Rams faced San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo many times, and never managed to get the win. It was not due to unfamiliarity with how Jimmy G plays. Rather, the Rams knew what to expect, and he made critical throws to move the chains anyway.

If you recall, one of the vulnerabilities of the Brandon Staley inspired defense of 2020 is the fact that the defense loved to load up on pass rushers and defensive backs. But there was a void of emphasis over the middle of the football field, a void that Jimmy Garoppolo is an expert at exploiting. And it is the vulnerability of almost all Vic Fangio-type defenses.

That ability to riddle defenses with short passes and thrown in the occasional deep pass over the middle is just enough to emerge with a victory. That is already known about Jimmy Garoppolo, so why try to fix something that works?

While the Rams offense is no stranger to tossing in play calls that are either far too predictable, or a complete mystery taken in the context of the down and distance required to move the chains, HC Sean McVay does have an indisputable forte of altering his play-calling strategy to optimize the skillsets of his backup quarterback. He did so effectively with QB Baker Mayfield. He did so effectively with QB Carson Wentz.

He will do so with QB Jimmy Garoppolo, if necessary.

Reason II: The Rams hired Jerry Schuplinski, Garoppolo's former QB coach

One of the most intriguing developments in 2024 is the manner and strategy used by the LA Rams to restock the team's coaching staff. While we have discussed the qualifications and experience of the new faces on the coaching staff, let's revisit and reinforce just how the team has invested so heavily into the quarterback position by carpet-bombing the staff with offensive coaches who have excelled throughout their coaching careers at developing young and raw quarterbac

The Rams are not as foolish or as reactionary as you may suspect. Even as the team must manage starting QB Matthew Stafford against the need to have an active Plan B in place if disaster strikes, the team has gone above and beyond the call of duty by loading up on veteran coaches who have that quarterback-whisperer reputation.

The Rams clearly need to have an array of coaches on hand to fast-track developing their quarterbacks in 2024. As it stands, Matthew Stafford will start. Veteran Jimmy Garoppolo will backup after his two game suspension. Second-year quarterback Stetson Bennett will be expected to progress in 2024. And finally, reserve quarterback Dresser Winn may only be a camp body for now. But the team did turn to him in 2023 to fill in as the backup quarterback. Perhaps he has an opportunity to increase his role with the team this season.

But I want to point out the history of Coach Jerry Schuplinski as Senior Offensive Assistant this year, and his outstanding work as assistant QB coach in the past with the New England Patriots in developing young quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett In 2016. Since that time, Garoppolo went on to start for the San Francisco 49ers, while Brissett went on to start for the Indianapolis Colts.

Keep in mind that Schuplinski managed to prepare both young hurlers despite their being buried behind starting quarterback Tom Brady.

The Rams have a similar challenge in reorienting Garoppolo after a rough 2023 season, while preparing the young arms of both Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn this season. Much like the investment into the offensive line, the team has invested heavily into coaches who can elevated the game of quarterbacks.

Coach Josh McDaniels, despite getting the credit, did not aid in the development of Jimmy Garoppolo on the New England Patriots roster.

Reason I: Don't compare Josh McDaniels to Sean McVay. Ever.

While you may see some misguided attempts to compare the careers of Coach Josh McDaniels to that of Coach Sean McVay, they are absolutely not comparable. Ever. Now, here's why.

While NFL teams have considered Coach Josh McDaniels to be of the head coaching ilk, he has struggled twice in two opportunities to find success. The reality is that Josh McDaniels arrival to an NFL team as the head coach invariably erodes and disintegrates the offensive production and effectiveness. McDaniels was fine as long as he hid in the shadows behind HC Bill Belichick and had QB Tom Brady on the football field to ensure excellent execution of his plays.

But when Tom Brady escaped from Josh McDaniels offense, his numbers rose, despite his continuing to play quarterback at an advanced age.

Of course, McDaniels had the opposite effect when he arrived. His offensive strategy was about forcing players to fit into his playbook, not scripting plays to accentuate and emphasize the skills of his players. Even All-Pro WR Davante Adams, whose revolt forced the team to bench Jimmy Garoppolo, has seen two successive years of declining production. Worst of all, despite putting up two consecutive years with a catch rate over 72 percent, he has averaged a catch rate of just 57.2 percent in the Las Vegas Raiders offense.

Courtesy of Josh McDaniels.

You may have made the argument that LA Rams HC was about the pass regardless of what the defense threw at him. But that all changed in 2023. Coach McVay learned patience with the running game, the value of investing in the offensive line, and the wisdom of controlling the game clock. Those lessons that were costly in 2022 and proven to be effective in 2023, are the new blueprint for this offense in 2024.

If you make the argument that Jimmy Garoppolo needs a productive running game, a passing game that can attack the middle of defenses with physical and sure handed receivers, and unstoppable targets in the Red Zone, you must also concede that the Rams offense has beefed up the roster in all three categories.

You may not be convinced just yet. But, keep in mind, the Rams are not the Raiders. This is a team where 'we not me,' is still a basic requirement. This is a team where wide receivers are expected to block before they get the rock. And this is a team that is improving rapidly.

Both Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz rediscovered their passion for football in Horns. And as a result, the NFL's interest in both quarterbacks rose rapidly after they played in this offense. Jimmy Garoppolo is simply the third veteran QB in the same trend. He will do fine for the Rams, because the Rams will do fine by him.

Thanks for reading.